Elevated-street-crossing bridge



1,553,733 G. W. WEMPLE ELEVATED STREET CROSSING BRIDGE Filed Dec. 2'7.V 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. l5, 1.925.

Sept. 15, 1925. 1,553,733

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Sept. l5, 1925. 1,553,733

G. W. WEMPLE ELEVATED STREET CROSSING BRIDGE -Filed Dec. 2'7 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fay. 4f

Sept. l5, 1925..

G. W. WEMPLE ELEVATED STREET CROSSING BRIDGE Filed Dec. 27, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 WONJ llHllllLlllllllt to shafts 1S and 18d which propel the shafts 18h, 18h and 18e which are mounted with pinions 39 which propel the gears 40 and 41 mounted on shafts 42 and 42', as seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The said shafting suitably hung, boxed and supported as is usual 'in mechanical engineering of this class ofv work; together with levers and means for throwing the power on and oft, and locking the elevators at given points, when desired.

The numeral 19 and 19' indicates the elevator members, their relative position to the bridge 20, the bridge-walk 44', the street vside-walk 44, as seen in Figs. 1 and 4.

In case street car lines run under the traffic-escape bridge, numeral 21 indicates the stair-way extending Yfrom the traiiic-escape bridge-walk to the street isle 22, the car tracks 45g, the street car 23, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5.

The numeral 19 indicates the revolvable stairway elevator member which consists of a series of steps 2S (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) which steps are made of a series of elongated U-shaped members rigidly bolted or riveted crosswise to the base frame 19EL (see Fig. 3) which is mounted.V on suitable box members 34 and 34' in which the shafts and wheel members 35 and 35' revolve, the shafts of which revolving in the box-like links 36 placed at intervals in the sprocket-chains 11 which couple the steps together in right relation to make up the step carrier member of the elevators.

The step carrier wheels 35 and35' run in guide tracks 37 and 38 which are mounted on the elevator frame bars 46, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the sprocketchains 11 mounted on sprocket wheels 10 and 10b which are mounted on suitable shafts andboxing 42 and 42', the sprocket chain 13 mounted on sprocket wheels 12 and 14 the sprocket chain 26 mounted on sprocket wheels 25 and 25', the flexible hand rail member 27 mounted upon sprocket chain 26 byV suitable wing-boss cha-in link members 26' slidable in a suitable guide track 47, as seen vin Figs. 1, 2 and 3, constitute the revolvable baluster member of the elevator, and geared to run in the same directionand at the same speed of the elevator step member.

The numeral 30, Figs. 1, 2 and 6, indicate the elevator platforms comprising a series of iron pla-tes and shims bolted'together and supported by the elevator frame and brackets 9. As the U members of the elevator steps 28 rise to the position of step 29, as seen in Fig. 2, they rise slightly above the platform member 30 then move out to 31 on the horizontal track section 32 then descend on track 33 to the Vtrack section 32' where the steps move horizontally into the platform members 30 with the foot surface slightly abovethe platform bars and drop beneath, leaving the passengertostep along on the walk. The same principle and action applying to the steps enteringv or leaving either platform.

The truss bridge frame 20 of my traiiicescape invention may be of any practical design in truss bridging which mechanical engineers would ordinarily adopt in the construction of a quadrangular bridge, restinfr upon four or more butment piers, strong enough to support the load the trailic-escape is designed to' carry. Therefore, I have shown no particulardesign of the bridgeframe work`20, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5, as there would be little if anything new or novel beyond arrangements of parts faciliin the bridge square, and suitably girdedv at the top of the bridge truss-work for roofing, or floor for the second or additional stories, in case of such superstructure, as shown in Fig. 5.

Nearly all of the bridge-Work construction, in principle, being'old and common, thus used as essential parts in combination with other parts, I have devised and assembled in designing a new, novel and useful traffic-escape.

I have shown herein my preferred form of arrangement and embodiment of the elements that go to make up my invention, but following the general relative arrangement of these parts, they may be differently supported,di'erent means may be provided for their adjustment and enerall ,i the structure may be changed without eparting from the spirit of the invention, therefore I do not desire to belimited to the exact construction herein shown, but claim any and all forms of embodiment that fall legitimately within the spirit thereof.

that I claim is:

l. A traffic-escape comprising in combination with van elevated rectangular truss bridge-like structure, spanning the square of two or more intersecting streets, mounted upon suitable abutment bridge piers preferably located near the corner of the bridge structure, a power house erected on the inside frame-work of the rectangular bridge, a power machine located therein and connected to a driving shaft which together with auxiliary shafts and gears suitably mounted on the frame of the bridge connecting with two or more lrevolvable stairlike elevator members situated at or near the corners of the bridge frameand conltr() nected thereto on an angle of approximately thirty degrees, extending from the bridge floor to` the ground surface.

2. A traffic-escape comprising in combination an elevated rectangular truss bridgelike structure mounted upon suitable abutment piers, a power house mounted thereon, a suitable motor power located therein, a suitable set of shafts and gearing extending from the power house to, and connected up with the gears of the elevator members, one or two suitable elevator frames extending from the bridge to the side-walk on Van angle of approximately thirty degrees, two revolvable stair-like elevator members mounted therein which move in opposite directions, a series of stair like steps, linked together by sprocket chains and coupling members, said Step constructionconsisting of la series of elongated U shaped membersv upon axle wheel members which run in suitable tracks mounted in the elevator frame, a comb-tooth-like platform rigidly mounted in the top and bottom endsof the elevator frame byr means of which the U members of the elevator steps intersect, rest in, or pass through when in motion, one or more suitable iexible baluster hand rail members mounted in the elevator frame to move in the same direction and speed of they elevator members,-all constructed, arranged and loperated substantially as described.

y In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specilication on this 2l day of December, A. D. 1928. y

GEORGE W. VEMPLE. 

